A. Field of The Invention
The present invention generally relates to a technology that allows a plurality of users to communicate simultaneously sharing a single network. More specifically, the present invention relates to a text communication method and/or system that makes it easy for a user to transmit text messages over the shared network.
B. Definition of Terms
Hereinafter, a chat system refers to a system that includes a chat server and a plurality of chat clients, wherein a plurality of users using the chat clients can communicate each other simultaneously sharing a single channel.
A channel is a virtual space shared by the plurality of chat clients. A nickname is identification information that specifies a user uniquely in a chat system.
An agent terminal or acting device is a device that relays communications between the chat server and the chat clients. Preferably, an agent terminal or acting device acts as a client with respect to the chat server, and as a server with respect to the chat clients.
C. Description of The Related Art
There has been known an internet relay chat (IRC) as a system that allows text communications on a real time basis among a plurality of users. However, to conduct a text communication on a system such as IRC, a user has to type many words. In other words, the user""s burden of typing messages is enormous. To reduce the typing burden, users have been registering frequently used words and idioms in a Chinese character conversion program. A user registers frequently used words and idioms in a dictionary with each of the words and idioms being associated with a certain combination of letters. The words and idioms can be obtained by typing certain combinations of letters and executing conversion thereon. Thus, text can be obtained by typing a fewer number of letters.
There has also been known a method in which frequently used texts are assigned to special keys, such that frequently used texts can be obtained by simply typing the special keys. The frequently used texts are determined from a history of typed texts.
Now that use of the internet and portable information devices increased rapidly, there are users who chat from a portable device while on a trip, from a desktop computer while at work, and from a home computer while at home. However, a keyboard of a portable device is not as easy to type as a keyboard of a desktop computer, because otherwise portable devices cannot be portable. Therefore, it is difficult to send and/or receive text messages using a portable device. The problem of typing is even greater with a chat because chatting requires a quick response.
Several conventional methods have been developed to reduce the users"" burden of typing. However, most of these conventional methods for reducing users"" burden of typing have several problems. For example, in some of these prior methods, a user has to manually create a dictionary that converts a short text to a longer text. Therefore, the user still has a burden of creating the dictionary.
Moreover, in some of these prior art methods, a user has to re-create a dictionary every time the user uses a different terminal. In other words, the user has to create a dictionary many times. Consequently, the user may end up having two or more different dictionaries. For example, the user may have one in a computer that he or she uses at work, and another in a portable computer that he or she uses while on trip. This can be even more inconvenient for the user.
A user generally wants to reduce the burden of typing to a different degree depending on the type of the terminal he or she uses. For instance, a user may want to use a shortcut function to obtain a long text by typing a shorter text when he or she is using a portable device because a portable device is difficult to type. However, the same user may not need such function when he or she is using a desktop terminal. There has been no technology that allows a user to adjust the degree of reducing the burden of typing depending on the device that the user uses.
Also, since a portable device has a smaller display area to display text messages than that of a desktop terminal, long text messages may not be fully displayed.
Usually, a game device does not have a keyboard to receive inputted commands therefrom. However, there has been game devices that have an internet connection function for allowing a user to view home pages and participate in a chat system. If a user having such a game device wants to type texts to participate in a chat, the user has to create text messages by typing a software keyboard with a mouse. Since it is difficult to type texts in this manner, the user tends not to fully utilize some of the functions of the device that require typing.
In view of the above problems, there exists a need for improved text conversion method and device for a chat system which overcomes the above mentioned problems in the prior art by making it easier for a user to write and receive text massages. This invention addresses this need in the prior art as well as other needs, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.
In view of the above described problems, one object of the present invention is to provide a method and a system for text communication by enabling a user to use the same dictionary from a plurality of information terminals in order to reduce the user""s burden of typing and creating dictionaries.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a text communication method for communication devices is adapted to send and receive a text message. The communication devices utilize an acting device, which is adapted to relay the text message. The text communication method includes steps of:
(A) providing the acting device with a dictionary containing rules regarding conversion of text messages, with the dictionary corresponding to at least one of the communication devices or a user;
(B) sending from the communication device to the acting terminal a command that specifies whether a text message sent and received via the acting device should be converted or not; and
(C) converting the text message according to the command.
The communication device sends a command that specifies whether a text message should be converted or not. For instance, when the communication device establishes a connection to the acting device, it sends a command specifying whether or not to convert the text message. The acting device then configures whether text messages should be converted or not for each communication device.
Preferably, the text communication system of the present invention comprises a plurality of communication devices and an acting device. The communication devices are adapted to send and receive a text message. Each of the communication devices has reporting means for sending identification information and a command. The identification information can identify either the communication device or the user. The command specifies whether a text message should be converted or not.
The acting device is adapted to be connected with the communication devices for relaying a text message that the communication devices send and receive. The acting device has storing means and conversion means. The storing means stores a dictionary containing rules regarding conversion of text messages. The dictionary corresponds to at least one of the communication devices or the user. Upon receiving a command from one of the communication devices regarding conversion of a text message, the conversion means is adapted to convert a text message based on the dictionary corresponding to the communication device or the user.
The communication devices send and receive text messages by connecting to the acting device. Examples of communication devices that can be used with the present invention include an information terminal that runs a chat client or a portable terminal such as a pager, which simply can send and receive text messages. When these communication devices send a connection message to connect to the acting device, they also send along therewith identification information such as its own IP address that the identification information identifies the communication device or the user. The identification information can also be sent during a regular connection establishment process. The reporting means of the communication device reports to the acting device whether incoming and/or outgoing text messages should be converted based on a dictionary stored in the storing means.
The storing means of the acting device stores one or more dictionaries that correspond to at least one of the communication devices or a user. For instance, if a user A has a desktop information terminal and a portable terminal, the user A""s dictionary can correspond to both these two terminals. Types of dictionaries are not limited to conventional ones such as Chinese character-Hiragana dictionary, and can be adjusted to meet user""s needs.
Upon receiving a command from the communication devices, the conversion means converts text messages based on a dictionary. There are four types of conversions of text messages. First, the conversion of the text message can be performed on only inputted or outgoing text messages. Second, the conversion of the text message can be performed on only incoming text messages. Thus, the conversion of the text message can be performed on both outgoing and incoming text messages. Fourth, no conversion of the text message can be done at all.
This system of the present invention allows a user to use the same dictionary even when the user has more than one information terminals. The text communication system also allows a user to select a terminal to which text conversion should be applied. By adjusting the configuration of the dictionary, a user can selectively reduce the burden of typing. For instance, the configuration of the dictionary can be set to reduce the typing burden only when he or she is typing at a portable terminal or game terminal.
Preferably, the acting device of the text communication system further includes dictionary administration means for updating the dictionary according to a text message sent from the communication devices.
The dictionary controller or administration means updates a dictionary that corresponds to the communication terminal according to the user""s input from the communication terminal. In this way, the user does not have to manually register words in the dictionary.
Preferably, the communication devices of the text communication system send to the acting device identification information that identifies the user, instead of the identification information that identifies the communication device. Thus, the dictionary in the storing means of the acting device corresponds to the users.
Examples of the communication devices include a chat client utilized in a chat system. When a chat client is utilized as a communication system, a nickname can be used as identification information since a nickname is uniquely defined in a chat system. In this case, the storing means of the acting device stores dictionaries such that dictionaries correspond to nicknames. Thus, the storing means stores a dictionary for each user. In this way, users can always chat using the same dictionary even when he or she is using a different information terminal. As a result, the user""s burden of typing text for sending and receiving text messages in a text communication is reduced.
Another aspect of the present invention is the text communication method for communication devices adapted to send and receive a text message. The communication devices utilize an acting device that is adapted to relay the text message. The text communication method comprises steps of:
(A) providing the acting device with a dictionary containing rules regarding conversion of text messages;
(B) setting conversion mode of the communication devices in advance; and
(C) converting the text message according to whether the conversion mode is set to xe2x80x9conxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9coffxe2x80x9d. The dictionary corresponds to at least one of the communication devices or a user. The conversion mode specifies whether a text message sent and received via the acting device should be converted or not.
In other words, the conversion mode is configured as either xe2x80x9conxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9coffxe2x80x9d for each communication device, as opposed to specifying the conversion mode for each text message sent. The acting device converts text messages if required by the configuration of the conversion mode.
Still another aspect of the present invention is a text communication system, comprising communication devices and an acting device. The communication devices are adapted to send and receive a text message. The acting device is adapted to be connected to the communication devices for relaying the text message that the communication devices send and receive.
The acting device has first storing means, second storing means, and conversion means. The first storing means is adapted to store a dictionary containing rules regarding conversion of text messages. The dictionary corresponds to at least one of the communication devices or a user. The second storing means is adapted to store a determination table in which each of the communication devices specifies its conversion mode. The conversion mode shows whether a text message sent and received by the communication devices should be converted or not. The conversion means is adapted to convert a text message based on the dictionary that corresponds to one of the communication devices if required by the conversion mode of the communication device. Each of the communication devices is adapted to report to the acting device identification information that identifies the communication device or the user.
The communication devices send and receive text messages by connecting to the acting device, in a similar manner as in the aforementioned communication system. The communication devices send identification information such as its IP address, which identifies the communication device, along with, for instance, a connection message that is sent when the communication device establishes a connection with the acting device. The identification information can be any type of information other than IP address, such as machine name.
The first storing means of the acting machine stores a dictionary that corresponds to at least one of the communication devices or a user. The second storing means stores the conversion mode that specifies whether text messages sent and received by a certain communication device should be converted or not. The conversion mode corresponds to at least one of the communication devices or the user.
The conversion means determines a conversion mode based on the identification information sent by the communication devices. A dictionary that corresponds to the communication device is determined based on the identification information of the communication device or user, thereby converting the text messages using the dictionary. In this system, as in the aforementioned text communication system, a user who uses a plurality of information terminals can use the same dictionary regardless of which of the user terminals the user uses.
Preferably, the communication devices of the text communication system further include registration means. The registration means receives a name of a communication device and conversion mode inputted thereto, and sends the name of the communication device and conversion mode to the acting device. The acting device further includes table updating means for registering in the determination table the inputted name of the communication device and conversion mode.
A user inputs a combination of the name of a communication device and the conversion mode through the registration means in a communication device. The registration means receives inputs from the user, and sends the inputs to the acting device. The conversion means sends the communication of the name of a communication device and its conversion mode to the table updating means. The table updating means receives the name of the communication device and its conversion mode, and sends them to the determination table.
Preferably, the determination table of the text communication system further stores dictionary mode that shows whether the dictionary should be updated according to a text message sent from the communication devices. The dictionary mode corresponds to the communication device. The acting device further includes dictionary administration means for updating the dictionary based on the text message if required by the dictionary mode of the determination table. This text communication system has the same effects as the aforementioned text communication system.
Preferably, the communication device of the text communication system reports to the acting device identification information that identifies a user instead of the identification information that identifies the communication device. The first storing means of the acting device stores the dictionary, with the dictionary corresponding to the users. The second storing means of the acting device stores a determination table in which each of the users specifies its conversion mode.
As in the aforementioned text communication system, a communication device can be a chat client, while identification information can be a nickname. The first storing means of the acting device stores dictionaries each of which corresponds to each nickname. In other words, each dictionary corresponds to each user. The second storing means stores the conversion modes, each of which correspond to each nickname. In other words, each of the conversion modes stored corresponds to each user. As in the aforementioned text communication, users that uses more than one communication devices can chat using the same dictionary regardless of which communication device he or she uses. Therefore, user""s burden of typing texts for sending and receiving text messages in text communication is reduced.
In accordance with still another aspect of the present invention, a text communication system comprises communication devices and an acting device. The communication devices are adapted to send and receive a text message. The acting device is adapted to be connected to the communication devices for relaying the text message sent and received from one of the communication devices. The communication devices have reporting means. The reporting means is adapted to report to the acting device a command regarding conversion of text messages and an identification number that is adapted to identify at least the communication device.
The acting device has first storing means, second storing means, table administration means, and conversion means. The first storing means is adapted to store a dictionary containing rules regarding conversion of text messages, with the dictionary corresponding to the communication devices. The second storing means is adapted to store a determination table in which each of the communication devices specifies its conversion mode. The conversion mode specifies whether the text message sent and received by the communication devices should be converted or not. The table administration means is adapted to update the determination table according to a command from the communication devices.
The conversion means is adapted to convert the text message based on the dictionary corresponding to the communication device if required by a command regarding conversion when the communication device sends the command regarding conversion. The conversion means converts the text message based on the dictionary corresponding to the communication device or the user if required by the conversion mode of the communication device in the determination table when the communication device does not send the command regarding conversion.
For instance, the reporting means can be configured such that the identification number of a communication device is sent along with the conversion mode of the communication device only when the communication device connects to the acting for the first time. The table administration means registers in the determination table the conversion mode and the name of the communication device that connects to the acting device for the first time. When the communication device connects to the acting device later, the conversion mode for the communication device is already registered in the determination table. Therefore the conversion mode is configured based on the determination table. If the user specifies the conversion mode even when the user""s communication device has connected to the acting device before, the conversion mode specified by the user has a priority over the conversion mode registered in the determination table.
In accordance with still another aspect of the present invention, an acting device is adapted to be connected to communication devices for relaying a text message. The communication devices are adapted to send and receive a text message. The text message is sent and received by the communication devices. The acting device comprises storing means and conversion means. The storing means is adapted to store a dictionary containing rules regarding conversion of text messages, with the dictionary corresponding to at least one of the communication devices or a user. Upon receiving from the communication device a command regarding conversion of the text message and identification information of the communication device, the conversion means is adapted to convert the text message based on the dictionary corresponding to the communication device or the user if required by the command. This acting device has the same effects as the aforementioned acting device.
In accordance with still another aspect of the present invention, an acting device is adapted to be connected to communication devices for relaying a text message. The communication devices are adapted to receive and send a text message. The text message is sent and received by the communication devices. The acting device comprises first storing means, second storing means, and conversion means.
The first storing means is adapted to store a dictionary containing rules regarding conversion of text messages, with the dictionary corresponding to at least one of the communication devices or a user. The second storing means is adapted to store a determination table in which each of the communication devices specifies its conversion mode. The conversion mode specifies whether a text message sent and received by the communication devices should be converted or not. Upon receiving from the communication devices identification information that identifies the communication device or the user, the conversion means converts the text message based on the dictionary corresponding to the communication device or the user if required by the conversion mode of the communication device in the determination table. This acting device has the same effects as the aforementioned acting device.
In accordance with still another aspect of the present invention, an acting device is adapted to be connected to communication devices for relaying a text message. The communication devices are adapted to receive and send a text message. The text message is sent and received by the communication devices. The acting device comprises first storing means, second storing means, table administration means, and conversion means.
The first storing means is adapted to store a dictionary containing rules regarding conversion of the text message, with the dictionary corresponding to at least one of the communication devices or a user. The second storing means is adapted to store a determination table in which each of the communication devices specifies its conversion mode. The conversion mode specifies whether a text message sent and received by the communication devices should be converted or not.
The table administration means updates the determination table upon receiving from the communication device a command regarding conversion of the text message. The conversion means converts the text message based on the dictionary corresponding to the communication device or the user if required by the command regarding conversion when the communication device sends the command regarding conversion. The conversion means converts the text message based on the dictionary corresponding to the communication device or the user if required by the conversion mode of the determination table when the communication device does not send the command. This acting device has the same effects as the aforementioned acting device.
In accordance with still another aspect of the present invention, a computer readable recording medium has a text communication program recorded therein. The text communication program is adapted to be used in an acting device, which is adapted to be connected to communication devices for relaying a text message. The communication devices are adapted to send and receive a text message. The text message is sent and received by the communication devices. The text communication program comprises steps of:
(A) storing a dictionary containing rules regarding conversion of text messages, the dictionary corresponding to at least one of the communication devices or a user; and
(B) converting the text message upon receiving from one of the communication devices a command regarding conversion of the text message and identification information that identifies the communication device or the user, based on the dictionary corresponding to the communication device or the user if required by the command regarding conversion of the text message.
This computer readable recording medium has the same effects as the aforementioned text communication device.
In accordance with still another aspect of the present invention, the computer readable recording medium has a text communication program recorded therein. The text communication program is adapted to be used in an acting device, which is adapted to be connected to communication devices for relaying a text message. The communication devices are adapted to send and receive a text message. The text message is sent and received by the communication devices. The text communication program comprises following steps A through C:
(A) storing a dictionary containing rules regarding conversion of text messages, the dictionary corresponding to at least one of the communication devices or a user;
(B) storing a determination table in which each of the communication devices specifies its conversion mode, the conversion mode specifying whether the text message received and sent by the communication device should be converted or not; and
(C) converting the text message upon receiving from one of the communication devices identification information that identifies the communication device or the user, based on the dictionary corresponding to the communication device if required by the conversion mode of the communication device in the determination table.
This computer readable recording medium has the same effects as the aforementioned text communication system.
In accordance with still another aspect of the present invention, the computer readable recording medium has a text communication program recorded therein. The text communication program is adapted to be used in an acting device, which is adapted to be connected to communication devices for relaying a text message. The communication devices are adapted to send and receive a text message. The text message is sent and received by the communication devices. The text communication program comprises following steps A through D:
(A) storing a dictionary containing rules regarding conversion of text messages, the dictionary corresponding to at least one of the communication devices or a user;
(B) storing a determination table in which each of the communication devices specifies its conversion mode, the conversion mode specifying whether the text message received and sent by the communication devices should be converted or not;
(C) updating the determination table upon receiving from the communication devices a command regarding conversion of the text message; and
(D) converting the text message based on the dictionary corresponding to the communication device or the user if required by the command when the communication device sends the command regarding conversion, and converting the text message based on the dictionary corresponding to the communication device or the user if required by the conversion mode of the communication device in the determination table when the communication device does not send the command. This computer readable recording medium has the same effects as the aforementioned text communication system.